Today in History FacebookTwitterEmail Today in History Today is Friday, May 21, the 141st day of 2021. There are 224 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On May 21, 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean as she landed in Northern Ireland, about 15 hours after leaving Newfoundland. On this date: In 1471, King Henry VI of England died in the Tower of London at age 49. In 1542, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto died while searching for gold along the Mississippi River. In 1868, Ulysses S. Grant was nominated for president by the Republican national convention in Chicago.